


Takuto Maruki Week 2020 Prompts

by Wildcard_Rumi



Category: Persona 5 Royal
Genre: F/M, P5R Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:42:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildcard_Rumi/pseuds/Wildcard_Rumi
Summary: The seven prompts I wrote for the Takuto Maruki Week event.
Relationships: Maruki Takuto/Rumi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 51





	1. Day 1 - Phantom Thief Maruki

"I'm telling you, dude, he sucks! Out of all the classes, why did he have to be in the same one as me?!"

Takuto smiled awkwardly as his best friend vented about a classmate he despised while they walked home. This was the first time they had attended a different school. Shibusawa and Rumi went to Shujin as they had always planned, while Takuto had managed to score himself a scholarship at Kosei.

"Oh come on, surely he can't be that bad…" He muttered. Shibusawa had a bad habit of exaggerating things, especially when he was irritated.

"Oh no, he is horrible… We've only been there a week and he's already hit on every damn girl in our year…" Rumi huffed as she rolled her eyes in disgust.

"...Y-You're kidding, right?" Takuto grimaced, looking down at his phone. Huh? That was a weird app on there… It had an eyeball icon… Now that he thought about it, that same app had somehow downloaded itself onto his phone last night as well… But, he could have sworn that he deleted it…? He swiped it down to the trashcan icon. But nothing happened.

"I wish I was… He hit on me as well, and when I told him that I had a boyfriend, he said 'He doesn't have to know'... God, he makes me sick…" Rumi spat out, her face scrunching up as she remembered that horrid exchange.

"What the hell…?" Takuto muttered as he tried again to delete the app. It refused. He opened it to see what could be causing it.

"Seriously?! Ugh, he makes me wanna puke! If he tries anything again, lemme know. I'll punch his lights out for you." Shibusawa growled as he kicked a nearby can in irritation. Takuto's eyebrows furrowed together as he investigated the strange app. It seemed to be some sort of navigation app… Although, if that was the case, why did it have such a creepy design?

"Just… For fuck's sake, why did I have to be stuck in the same class as Suguru Kamoshida, the ever so glorious volleyball king of Shujin Academy?" Shibusawa groaned, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Huh?" Takuto hummed in confusion as the words 'Suguru Kamoshida' and 'Shujin Academy' appeared on his phone's screen. Target? Location? What did that mean? What the hell was a distortion?

"Ugh, I know, right? He thinks he's so incredible just because he happens to be good at volleyball… He wins a bunch of trophies in middle school and all of a sudden he's the goddamn king of the castle…" Rumi scowled bitterly as she agreed with Shibusawa's contempt towards their classmate. The word 'Castle' appeared on Takuto's phone.

"Candidate Found. Beginning Navigation." A robotic voice came from the chestnut haired boy's phone.

"What?" He uttered in confusion as he stopped in his tracks. Shibusawa and Rumi continued walking, not noticing Takuto no longer being beside them.

"Hm? You say something, Rumi?"

"Huh? That wasn't my voice… You really think I sound like that?"

"U-Uh… Guys? What happened to the sky?" Takuto awkwardly asked.

"Huh, what're you talking… about?" Shibusawa scoffed before staring up at the sky in disbelief. "Wha-? How'd it suddenly turn… pink?"

"Wh-Where did everybody else go?" Rumi anxiously asked as she glanced around their surroundings. That was when the boys realised that everything was silent. There was no one else in the area. But… The streets were full just seconds ago?

"U-Um… Am I going crazy or is that a castle over there?" Takuto enquired, pointing at the large building that most definitely wasn't there before.

"No… That is definitely a castle… Why is there a castle in Aoyama-itchome?" Rumi muttered as a nervous frown appeared on her. The three teenagers glanced at each other as curiosity finally got the better of them. They stuck closer together and wandered along the abandoned streets towards the ominous building.

"The hell?" Was all Shibusawa could utter as the trio stood in front of the castle. Takuto noticed a sign on the giant surrounding wall.

"This is Shujin Academy?" He asked with a confused tilt of his head.

"Hell no. I have no idea why that sign is there." Rumi rebutted.

"But… It is exactly where Shujin should be…" Shibusawa pointed out. Rumi frowned as she struggled to make sense of everything strange around them. As Takuto peered across the drawbridge into the castle courtyard, a butterfly caught his attention. A blue, glowing butterfly. It almost seemed to be… urging him to enter the castle… Although, he really didn't want to… Just the sight of it made his skin crawl for some reason.

"Welp… Only one way to figure it out." Shibusawa announced as he nonchalantly began wandering into the castle.

"H-Hey!" Takuto called out to him. The hell was he doing?! Did he feel no fear?! Takuto and Rumi glanced nervously at each other as they watched him disappear through the large entrance doors.

"W-We can't let him go by himself, right?!" Rumi asked, looking up at Takuto with panicked eyes.

"R-Right…! Stay close, Rumi." Takuto requested, offering his hand to his girlfriend. Rumi took it with no hesitation before the two jogged after Shibusawa. Luckily, he hadn't gone far. The raven haired boy was stood in the middle of the main entrance, looking around with a quizzical look on his face. For a split second, it seemed like the castle fazed out of reality, displaying a school entrance hall.

"Wh-What was that?" Takuto asked, feeling a little jumpy.

"Do you think this might be a way to get people hyped up for a school production?" Shibusawa hypothesised as he scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah… I really don't think the drama club would be able to pull off something like this…" Rumi muttered, rolling her eyes. The sound of metal clanking reached Takuto's ears. He twirled around to find a giant suit of armour approaching them. He couldn't help but let out a startled yelp. Shibusawa and Rumi turned to see what was wrong.

"Geez, dude! You freaked me out! What's with the costume? This some kinda medieval themed festival or somethin'?" The raven haired boy asked with a casual huff, walking over to the suit of armour to get a better look. The knight stayed silent as it took a menacing step forward. Shibusawa stepped back.

"Hey…"

Without any warning, the shadow lunged forward and slammed it's shield into Shibusawa's face, making him collapse onto the floor. He groaned as he clutched his head, dazed by the sudden strike.

"Shibusawa!" The other two gasped with worry. They wanted to rush over and help him, but more knights appeared and surrounded them. Takuto felt his heart pounding in his throat as he racked his brain for a solution to this insane situation. His body moved on instinct as he positioned himself between the intimidating knights and Rumi.

"S-Stay back!" He yelled, trying his hardest to stand his ground. The Knights didn't take any notice at all as one slammed their shield into his face. Takuto yelped as he fell back onto the floor, his nose spurting blood from the impact.

"Takuto!" Rumi shrieked as she tried to help him back onto his feet. Before she could even reach him, however, another knight rammed the hilt of it's sword into the back of her neck. The only noise she could make was a surprised grunt before she passed out.

"R-Rumi…" Takuto whispered, reaching out a shaky hand towards his girlfriend as his consciousness began to fade.

"...-To…. -Akuto… Takuto!"

Takuto groaned quietly as his eyes fluttered open. His head hurt and his vision was blurry.

"Hey! Can you hear us?!"

"Oh, thank god! He finally woke up!"

He heard Shibusawa and Rumi's worried voices.

"Wh-What…?" He muttered weakly as he sat up.

"Easy, dude… We all got messed up by those creepy guys in armour…" Shibusawa explained as he held the shaky Takuto up.

"When we woke up, we were in this weird jail cell… We've been looking for a way out but we haven't found anything yet…" Rumi added, slipping Takuto's glasses back onto his face. Now that he could see properly, Takuto analysed his surroundings. It was a dank, dingy prison cell with nothing but a bed, some chains and some barrels within it. The chestnut haired boy wiped the dried, crusted blood from his nose as he stood up from the uncomfortable wooden bed.

"What the hell is going on?" He finally asked the big question on his mind.

"I wish I knew…" Shibusawa huffed in response, a stressed scowl displayed on his face. A pained grimace consumed Takuto's face as he noticed the large bruises on Rumi's neck and Shibusawa's head. As he was about to ask if they were okay, a blood curdling scream echoed out from outside the jail cell. The trio stared out between the bars in terror.

"... What the hell was that?" Rumi whispered urgently.

"I-I don't know… but we need to get out of here." Takuto answered as he began inspecting each individual bar for any kind of weakness that would make it easier to break. His searching grew more frantic; he was desperate to escape. However, his search was cut short by a shadow looming over him. He cautiously looked up to find a knight glaring down at him. Takuto shuffled backwards, away from the frightening creature. Rumi softly patted his shoulder in an attempt to make him feel more relaxed.

"The three of you have been charged with trespassing. Thus, your sentence shall be death. The King has decreed that you shall be executed." One of the knights announced as a troop entered the jail cell.

"Executed?!" Takuto gasped as a nervous pang radiated through his chest.

"Hmph! What scum dares to enter my castle?" A haughty voice demanded.

"Your Majesty!" A knight exclaimed as the squad stepped to the side to let a person through.

They revealed a muscular boy around the same age as the group with glimmering golden eyes, wearing nothing but a plush heart patterned cloak, pink underwear, brown sneakers and a gaudy crown. Takuto couldn't help but cover Rumi's eyes so she wouldn't have to see the disgusting sight.

"Kamoshida?! What the hell are you doing?! And what in the actual fuck are you wearing?! Did a volleyball finally knock your brain out?!" Shibusawa growled, finally losing his temper after reaching his 'weird bullshit' limit. Kamoshida simply looked down on him with contempt in his eyes.

"Don't speak to me as if you're my equal, peasant." He spat in disgust as he signalled for his lackeys to move. One of the knights rammed it's fist into Shibusawa's stomach, making the raven haired boy double over and gasp for air as the impact winded him. The knight took advantage of his vulnerability, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him into the air.

"Leave him alone!" Takuto screeched as he charged towards the knight and tackled them. The suit of armour didn't budge a single inch. It swung it's free hand into Takuto's face, sending him flying backwards where two other knights grabbed him by the shoulders and pinned him to the wall.

"You really thought that would work? Wow, you're dumber than you look, you worthless scum." Kamoshida snickered in amusement before turning his attention to Rumi.

"Hmm~? You're Rumi from Class 2-B, aren't you~? Did you finally come to your senses? What a smart lil girl~" He purred as a lustful look appeared in his eyes.

"Excuse me?" Rumi scoffed in disgust as she searched for a way to save the two boys.

"C'mon~ No need to deny yourself~ Feel free to fling yourself onto me~" Kamoshida smirked as he extended his arms for a hug, displaying his bare chest.

"Get away from me, you perv!" Rumi screamed as she swung her fist at his face, infuriated by his disgusting comments. Kamoshida caught her fist and pinned her arms above her head.

"Rumi!" Takuto gasped, desperately struggling against the strong hold detaining him.

"Oho~ You're a feisty one, huh~? You know, we could have a lot of fun together~" Kamoshida chuckled, finding Rumi's disgust entertaining as he leaned closer.

"Get the hell off her!" Screeched Takuto, a hateful glare in his eyes.

"Hm? Who are you to tell me what to do? This is my castle, I can do whatever the hell I want." Kamoshida scoffed dismissively as he shot a quick glance over to Takuto.

"Drop dead, asshole!" Shibusawa choked out, trying to kick himself free from the stranglehold he was stuck in.

"Hmm… Nah. I'd rather the opposite happen." Kamoshida snickered with a sadistic grin, snapping his fingers. The knight obeyed, pulling out it's sword and holding it up to Shibusawa's neck. The boy's chocolate coloured eyes widened in terror.

"I-I don't wanna die…!" He whimpered as his anger went flying out the window. Takuto's mind went into overload. Panic coursed through his veins. His best friend was about to be murdered! His girlfriend was cornered by an absolute creep! But he… He couldn't… He couldn't do a damn thing! A guilt ridden grimace enveloped Takuto's face as he held back tears. He really was useless…

_"What's the matter?"_

A mysterious voice spoke into Takuto's mind. The chestnut haired boy's eyes widened in shock as he swung his head from side to side in search of the source of the voice.

 _"Giving up before you've even tried? Only ruin awaits if you do nothing… Are your companions really not that precious to you?"_ The mysterious voice interrogated the shaken up boy. Takuto gritted his teeth as the idea of something terrible happening to the others made him feel sick.

"They are…!"

_"Very well… Then I will lend you my strength."_

Intense pain surged through Takuto's head, knocking all of the air out of his lungs as he screamed and writhed in agony.

_"You seek the happiness and safety of those precious to you, but the only way to achieve that goal is to get your hands dirty… Show me your resolve! Prove to me that you can reform the world! I am thou, thou art I! Now is the time to set yourself free!"_

Takuto let out a final cathartic scream as a golden mask appeared on his face and a pulse of power sent the shadows holding him flying backwards. The chestnut haired boy gasped for breath as he tapped the strange mask on his face. He grabbed it and attempted to pull it off. The mask didn't budge. Takuto began yanking harder on the mask, growing more and more agitated as it didn't budge. He needed it off! He needed to be free! Wait… Free…? Free… Yes, that was it… Freedom!

"Give me your power… Azathoth!"

The mask came flying off in his hands as blood spurted from his face. Blue flames erupted around him as everyone else watched in disbelief. Just what the hell is going on? As the flames began to dissipate, Takuto lunged forward, ramming his spear through the shadow that was holding Shibusawa. As he ripped it back out, the shadow disintegrated and his black haired best friend crashed into the floor, coughing and spluttering as he massaged his throat. With no delay, Takuto quickly moved onto saving Rumi, swinging his leg at full speed and slamming his foot into Kamoshida's face. As the 'King' collapsed on the floor, Takuto held his spear underneath his chin. Rumi stared at her boyfriend in amazement.

He was now wearing a pale blue dress shirt with a white waistcoat, trousers and cape, along with a golden tie, belt and shoes. Behind him floated a strange being. It looked like a golden cross with black and jade tendrils protruding outwards.

"How dare you attack King Kamoshida?!" The remaining knight demanded as it charged towards Takuto, sword in hand, ready to impale the boy.

"Takuto, look ou-" Shibusawa began to warn him but Azathoth acted first, sinking it's tendrils into the shadow and ripping it to shreds while Takuto didn't even bat an eyelid.

"Quick, grab the keys!" Takuto ordered Rumi. The redhead complied instantly, stealing the keys from Kamoshida and giving him a vicious kick in the stomach for good measure. Takuto pulled Shibusawa's arm over his shoulders and pulled him to his feet. The trio ran out of the cell, Rumi locking the door behind them before flinging the keys into the river. Azathoth watched the three teenagers run to their freedom and chuckled softly to itself as it disappeared.

_"The Path to Eden has finally begun to open…"_


	2. Day 2 - Alcohol

"Thanks for inviting me out, Shibusawa. It's been a while since we last hung out, huh?" Takuto thanked his best friend as the two men took their seats at the table.

"Hey, no problem! You've been really busy lately, so you deserve a break. Have you ever been here before?" Shibusawa cheerfully replied, handing a menu over to Takuto.

"No, I haven't."

"Oh, their monjayaki is amazing! You're gonna love it!"

Takuto smiled excitedly as he read through the menu. He hadn't been out to eat in quite a while, so it was nice having the opportunity.

"And feel free to order whatever, my treat." Shibusawa added as he picked up the drinks menu.

"Oh! No! No, I couldn't-"

"It's fine, man! You deserve it. C'mon, lemme buy you a drink. Excuse me!" Shibusawa insisted before calling over a waitress. Takuto sighed as an exasperated smile appeared on his face.

"I… I suppose one beer wouldn't hurt…" He muttered, scanning his eyes through the menu again.

"See? That's the spirit!"

"Hello! Thank you for visiting us this evening! May I take your order?" The waitress cheerfully greeted them as she approached the table and pulled out her notepad.

"Yeah, hi. Could we have two beers please? And uh, have you decided what you wanna eat yet, Takuto?" Shibusawa answered before turning his attention back to his friend.

"No… It all looks so good… Should we just get the platter for two since it has a bit of everything?" The bespectacled man suggested.

"Sounds good to me! We'll have the platter for two, thanks!" Shibusawa relayed the order to the waitress.

"Coming right up! Your meal will be out shortly!" The waitress informed them with a bright smile before walking back over to the counter.

"So, how has your job at Shujin been going?" Shibusawa asked, starting conversation while they waited for their food.

"It's going pretty well! A lot of students come to talk with me even though only a small handful of them are compulsory." Takuto answered.

"Why're these kids compulsory?" The raven haired man asked with a tilt of his head.

"Because they were directly targeted by Kamoshida."

"Ahhh… Yeah, that makes sense. Those kids need some help. Although… There's gotta be some who don't feel comfortable talking about it."

"Yeah… I can think of one student who doesn't really trust adults…"

"I don't blame them."

"Neither do I. He's been through a lot."

"But, lemme guess, you have a lot of visitors because you offer snacks."

"Nutrition is important…" Takuto muttered under his breath as he averted his gaze.

"So, I'm right, huh?"

Takuto rolled his eyes as Shibusawa snickered in amusement. It was nice hanging out with Shibusawa again. The two hadn't really seen each other since… Well… Since everything went wrong for Takuto… The chestnut haired man unconsciously clenched his fists as he remembered Shido.

"Here are your drinks, Sirs! Your meal will be out in just a second! Enjoy!" The waitress announced as she placed two pints of beer in front of the men.

"Thank you." The two responded in unison.

"Welp, bottoms up." Shibusawa grinned as he picked up his glass.

"Y'know, I haven't had a drink in ages… It may even be years since my last one… I can't remember." Takuto remarked, picking up his own glass.

"Oh, yeah? Well, might as well unwind and enjoy one. It's okay as a once in a while treat, right?" Shibusawa suggested, lifting his glass and stretching his arm out towards Takuto.

"Yeah… It's just one drink. It's fine." Takuto agreed, clinking his glass against Shibusawa's. And with that, the two took their first large gulps, celebrating their first night out in ages.

Takuto giggled childishly as he tripped over his own feet again. Shibusawa pulled him back up, with Takuto's arm slung over his shoulders and his hand supporting Takuto's waist.

"Wow, your tolerance really isn't what it used to be, huh?" He remarked as he helped the drunken man stagger along the street. He only had two glasses of beer… How did they mess him up this much?

"Nnnnnnnnnnnope!" Takuto sang as he swayed shakily.

"Look, for now, let's just get you home so you can sleep this off, yeah?" Shibusawa suggested, nodding thankfully at the other pedestrians stepping out of the way to let the two pass.

"Thanks, Shibusawa…" Takuto hummed as his head flopped onto Shibusawa's shoulder. He began giggling again, his laughter growing louder as whatever it was clearly amused him.

"What now?"

"Your name's funnyyyy… Shi-Bu-Sa-Wa~" Takuto chortled, his eyes squeezing shut from his laughter. "Shiiiiiibuuuuuu… Pfft! Hahahahahahahaha! Shiibuusaawaa~! Hehehehehehehe!"

"Okay, buddy…" Shibusawa murmured quietly, rolling his eyes with an exasperated smile.

"Shiiibuuu… Shiibuu… Shibu- Shiba… Shiba? Shiba Inu! You're like a Shiba Inu!" Takuto began cackling with laughter, flinging his head so far forward that his glasses flew off his face.

"Yeah, I get it, good one… Okay, careful here, the sidewalk's a little uneven." Shibusawa muttered as he slowly made their way over to Takuto's glasses.

"You're so nice, Shibuuuu…" Takuto murmured happily as he nuzzled his head into Shibusawa's shoulder.

"What are friends for?" The raven haired man sighed back, trying to hide the smile on his face. As they neared the pair of glasses, another hand reached down and picked them up.

"Maruki-sensei…?" They asked quizzically. Shibusawa looked up to see the Shujin student he had met at the Wilton buffet. What was his name again…? A? Am-?

"Oh heyyyyy, it's Amamiyaaaaa-kuun! How you doing, Amaamiiiya?" Takuto cheered with slurred words, pushing himself away from Shibusawa and towards a confused Ren.

"Um?"

"Whoa, hey, Taku-"

Takuto wrapped his arms around Ren, squeezing him into a bear hug.

"You're such a great kid, Amamiya! You're sooooo talented and kind and selfless! You're doing amazing and I'm so so so proud of youuuuuu!" The chestnut haired man cooed as he ruffled the bespectacled boy's hair. Ren's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden praise and his cheeks flushed a light pink.

"O-Oh… Um… Thank you…?" He mumbled shyly as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

"S-Sorry… We went out for a drink and he can't handle his alcohol as well as he used to… He didn't even drink that much!" Shibusawa apologised as he took Takuto's glasses from Ren and shoved them into his pocket.

"No, no, it's fine. I've had… way worse experiences with drunk people… Don't worry about it." Ren reassured him with a soft smile as Takuto stroked his hair, giggling at how soft it was.

"I'm sorry to hear that… Although, what're you doing out this late?" Shibusawa asked.

"Oh, I just finished my shift at the beef bowl shop. I'm heading home now." Ren answered.

"Tha's good! Stay safe, Ama-Amamiya! You're a lovely boyyyyyy! I don' want aaaaaanything bad to happen to yoouu!" Takuto giggled childishly again, cupping Ren's cheeks in his hands.

"O-Okay…?" Ren mumbled with an awkward grin. An amazed gasp left Takuto's mouth.

"Your cheeks are soooo squishy!!! Look at 'em! Shibu! Look! So squishy! They're like mochiiiiiii~!" He squealed in delight, smooshing Ren's cheeks up and down.

"Yeah… Yeah, I can see. C'mon, Takuto, leave the poor kid's cheeks alone now… C'mon…" Shibusawa huffed as he pried Takuto away from the teenager.

"Again, sorry about this…" He apologised to Ren as he leant Takuto against himself once more.

"Seriously, it's fine. Have a good night. Take care, Sensei." Ren politely replied before excusing himself and wandering down the street.

"He's such a sweet kid…" Takuto sighed contentedly.

"Yeah, he sure is… But, c'mon, I really think we should get you home now… So, ready? Up we go!" Shibusawa grunted as he helped Takuto back onto his feet and began dragging him along the street.

"Alright… Here we go… Go and sit down on the sofa." Shibusawa ordered Takuto as the two stumbled through the front door of Takuto's apartment. While Shibusawa carefully placed Takuto's keys onto the dining table, the chestnut haired man plonked himself down onto the floor next to the sofa.

"... Close enough."

"Thaaank you, Shibusawa… You're such a great friend, I love you." Takuto chuckled with a big, silly grin on his face. Shibusawa couldn't help but smile as he rolled his eyes and grabbed a glass from the kitchen cupboard.

"I love you too, buddy. Now, c'mon, take your jacket and shoes off, okay?" He replied, rummaging through Takuto's fridge.

"Okay…" Takuto mumbled, doing as he was told.

"So, that Amamiya kid seemed nice. I didn't really get to talk to him much at the Wilton buffet, but he looks like a good kid." Shibusawa spoke up as he grabbed two slices of bread, hoping that a conversation would help clear Takuto's head a little.

"Yeah, he's such a sweet kid…! He makes me so sad, though cuz he's always helping everyone else but he doesn't do anything to help himself…" Takuto replied quietly as he yanked his shoes off.

"How'd you mean?"

"He solves everyone else's problems but keeps all of his to himself… I wanna help him but he won't let meeee… He didn't deserve all that crap! He got arrested even though he didn't do anything!!" Takuto whined, growing louder with each word. Shibusawa glanced over at Takuto as he grabbed a small plate.

"Wh-Why are you crying?" He awkwardly asked.

"Because all of the kids I help are so sweet and wonderful and I just wanna adopt them and give them hugs and kisses on their precious lil foreheads and let them live happy lives with none of the bullshit that they went through…!" Takuto vented, sobbing uncontrollably as tears and snot dripped down his face.

"Hey, hey! C'mon! No need to cry! You're already helping those kids so much! Just keep doing what you're doing." Shibusawa soothed his emotional best friend.

"You really think so…?" Takuto whimpered, looking up at the black haired man with watery eyes.

"Yes! I wouldn't have said so otherwise! God, you are such a big ol' softie… Look, eat this sandwich and drink this water, okay? Should help sober you up a little before going to bed." Shibusawa sighed as he handed the plate and glass to Takuto.

"Awwww! You're taking care of me~" Takuto giggled as he took a bite of the sandwich.

"Obviously… I'm not gonna leave you alone in this state, stupid." Shibusawa laughed softly as he grabbed a tissue and wiped Takuto's nose.

"You're the best friend I could ever ask for…" Takuto stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Damn right, I am! Don't you ever forget it!" Shibusawa joked quietly.

"Do you… Do you remember that party we went to college? The one when I got drunk for the first time?" Asked Takuto, taking a sip of his water.

"You mean the one where you called Rumi in a flood of tears to apologise for flirting with another girl? And that girl was actually Rumi?" Shibusawa snickered as that memory popped into his mind. He could still remember the way Takuto clung to Rumi when he saw her afterwards.

"Yeah! That one!" Takuto giggled as he finished his sandwich. The two sat there, quietly laughing amongst themselves as they reminisced on those times.

"Hm?" Shibusawa hummed curiously as Takuto's shoulders began shaking. His laughter had morphed back into crying.

"Hey… What's wrong now?" The raven haired man softly asked.

"I miss Rumi…"

Shibusawa's eyes widened. Tears began streaming from Takuto's eyes as Shibusawa gently patted his shoulder.

"I know…"

"I miss her so much…"

"I know…"

"Why did that have to happen to her…?"

"I don't know…"

"She's better off without me…"

"Now, you know that isn't true." Shibusawa stated as he pulled Takuto into a comforting hug. "I don't know why you've convinced yourself that she's better off without you, but you're wrong. It's not your fault that happened. It's not your fault she forgot you. And she wanted to see you again! You could have started over! You can still start over! Stop acting as if you've run out of time! You're here and you're alive! As long as you're breathing, you have another chance!" He declared. 

He was sick of Takuto shouldering all the blame. It's funny… Takuto was upset by Ren keeping all of his problems to himself, yet he did the exact same thing. Takuto didn't respond. He simply continued sobbing into Shibusawa's chest while the raven haired man stroked his back soothingly. They stayed like that until Takuto's sobs evolved into snores. Shibusawa carefully shifted his friend, picking him up and carrying him into his bedroom. He gently placed Takuto down onto his bed, taking his glasses off of his tear stained face and removing his tie. Takuto groaned quietly as he rolled onto his side.

"Rumi… Shibu...sa...wa…" The exhausted man muttered in his sleep. Shibusawa couldn't help but look down at Takuto with a sorrowful smile as he turned around to leave.

"Sleep tight, buddy…"


	3. Day 3 - Happiness

"Where the hell did I put it…?" Takuto muttered to himself as he searched his bedroom. He'd been searching for a book he needed to return to the library for over an hour now and was starting to get a little irritated.

"I've looked everywhere else; it's gotta be in here…" He huffed as he pulled out each of his drawers and analysed their contents. An annoyed sigh left his mouth after discovering nothing. He flung his head back in defeat and looked up at the ceiling. He blinked as he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. There was a box on top of his wardrobe. He'd completely forgotten about that. He couldn't remember anything that was within that box… It was the best place to search for his book! He stood on his tiptoes and reached up for the box, slowly edging it closer to the edge of the wardrobe with his fingers.

"Shit…!" He yelped as the box suddenly tipped and fell off the wardrobe. A large book fell out of the box and smacked into Takuto's forehead.

"Ow!" The chestnut haired man hissed as he collapsed onto the floor in a heap. What the hell fell on him? He felt around for his glasses and slipped them back onto his face so he could take a closer look. His eyes widened in surprise.

It was a photo album.

He hadn't seen this in years… He couldn't even remember any of the photos in it… Or if there were even any photos in it… Curiosity got the better of him and he opened it up. The sight that greeted him was two photos from his highschool graduation.

The first was him stood there with a shy smile, holding his diploma, with his mother and his father stood either side of him, smiling proudly as they gripped onto their son's shoulders. It had been a while since he'd last spoken to his parents… Takuto made a mental note to call them later.

The second was him, Rumi and Shibusawa celebrating their graduation. Shibusawa had his arms slung around Takuto and Rumi's shoulders with a huge, proud grin on his face while the couple smiled brightly at the camera, flashing peace signs.

Takuto let out a quietly, breathy chuckle at the sight. He couldn't believe it. It was incredible seeing these memories for the first time in years. His heart felt warm at the sight of them. The feeling was enough to persuade Takuto to turn the page and look through even more memories.

The next photo was from his nineteenth birthday. Takuto sat there, rolling his eyes with an exasperated smile, wearing a cheap party hat that Shibusawa had forced onto his head. He remembered that party, clear as day… If his memory served him well, the next photo would be… Yep. Shibusawa shoving Takuto's face into his birthday cake while Rumi laughed in the background. The bespectacled man rolled his eyes and laughed softly at the photo. It took him so long to clean everything off his glasses after that… He had a moment where he thought he might have to buy new ones…

The next was a photo from another party. One from their college days. Takuto and Rumi were clearly unaware of the camera as they shared a deep kiss. And then there was Shibusawa. Downing a bottle of alcohol with a thoroughly unimpressed face. Takuto couldn't hold back his snicker at that one. He remembered that time. Shibusawa kept trying to get a girlfriend but failed every time. So, he went through a whole year being stuck as Takuto and Rumi's third wheel. There were times Takuto could have sworn Rumi did things like cling to his arm cutely or suddenly kiss him just to annoy Shibusawa sometimes… It worked.

His heart skipped a beat when he laid his eyes on the next photo. His first date with Rumi. He couldn't help but cringe a little at the sight of his sixteen year old self. They had spent the day at Dome Town, going on the more relaxing rides and playing all the arcade games before stopping at a nearby restaurant for tea and cakes. The photo was a selfie taken by Rumi. She was grinning brightly as she clutched onto the plush cat that Takuto had managed to win for her from a claw machine, leaning her head on Takuto's shoulder. Takuto himself had an awkward smile on his face, which happened to be a bright shade of red. The chestnut haired man shook his head as he stared at the photo. He could still vividly remember how nervous he was the day… Checking his reflection in the mirror every few minutes before leaving, asking his parents if he looked alright, worrying about what would happen if Rumi didn't enjoy herself… His heart beating out of his chest when he saw how beautiful she looked…

A nostalgic chuckle left his mouth as he turned the page again, having completely forgotten about the book he was originally searching for.

The next few pages were full of photos of him and Rumi on dates and just hanging out. The ones that caught attention were the ones from Valentine's Day and White Day… Rumi smirking cheekily as she smeared melted chocolate onto Takuto's face, Takuto handing a beautiful bouquet of flowers to Rumi as her face flushed as bright as a red as her hair, the two of them on a midnight stroll under the stars… So many wonderful memories… A loving smile appeared on Takuto's face as he scanned his eyes across the photos, taking in every little detail.

Heat flushed through his cheeks as he saw the next photo. There were times he forgot how cheeky Rumi could be… Another selfie of hers… Takuto lying in bed, fast asleep, bare chest on display… And Rumi sat next to him, wearing his shirt and glasses, winking and sticking out her tongue mischievously. He could still remember the shock and bashfulness he felt when Rumi sent him a copy of the photo. He felt even more embarrassed when Shibusawa stumbled across the photo… He teased him about it for weeks…

Takuto spent the next hour simply flicking through the photo albums and reminiscing on the past as every picture brought back another memory. It was wonderful. There was something strangely soothing about rediscovering these times that he felt important enough to immortalise in photographic form. His fingers froze at one page in particular. Takuto remembered this day so vividly as if it were yesterday…

The day he proposed to Rumi.

Him on one knee, holding out the ring to the girl who owned his heart. Rumi stood there, hands on her chest and a stunned expression on her face.

Rumi tackling him with a hug, excitedly grinning while his eyes were wide open in surprise as he lost his balance.

The two of them collapsed on the ground, Rumi kissing Takuto and clinging tightly to him. His free hand gently resting on her waist.

A close up of them together. Rumi grinning widely with tears in her eyes as she showed off the ring to the camera. Takuto, too preoccupied with staring at Rumi like a lovestruck fool to even take notice of the camera.

Blinking in surprise, Takuto realised that tears were streaming down his face. He hurriedly wiped them away before they could fall onto the photos and stain them. Although, he realised something… For the first time in years, these weren't sad, regretful tears… These were happy tears… Sure, he was heartbroken that his future with Rumi was ripped away from him, but… He was glad he met her. He was glad he got to know her. He was glad he fell in love with her. No one could ever take those experiences away from him.

As those thoughts went through his mind, he turned the page again. Only to discover that it was blank. He turned to the next page. Blank. Next page. Blank. Takuto flicked through the rest of the album… That was it. That was all of the photos. He frowned at this revelation. Sure, he didn't take as many photos after having to give up Rumi, but still… It didn't seem right or fair to leave the album like that. He had more people that were important to him… People that helped him move on from the past. A determined smile spread across Takuto's face as he made up his mind. Carefully placing the photo album to the side, the bespectacled man stood up and grabbed his phone. He stepped over the spilled contents of the box, making a mental note to tidy it up later, and plugged his phone into his laptop.

He opened up his photos folder and began analysing every picture in the camera roll, resolved to pick out more photos for his album. It didn't take long for one to catch his attention.

A photo from his celebratory dinner at the Wilton buffet. Shibusawa had swiped his phone and took the photo. The raven haired man smiled proudly while he wrapped his arm around Takuto's shoulders, who was shyly smiling as he held onto his drink. Sat next to Takuto when Ren, an awkward look in his eyes as he suddenly realised the presence of the camera while he had a mouth full of food, his cheeks puffed out slightly.

Takuto giggled happily at the memory from last year, creating a new folder and naming it 'Pics to add to album'. He moved the photo into the folder then returned to the camera roll, ready to search for more photos to add to the list.

A photo taken by Sumire. Her, Takuto and Ren eating ramen together; all three of them looking at the camera with fogged up glasses. Sumire laughing while the two guys smiled softly.

A photo taken by Ren. Takuto sat at the counter in Leblanc, his eyes sparkling in excitement as Morgana let him pet him.

Some snapshots Takuto took during one of Sumire's gymnastics tournaments. Seeing those photos made Takuto feel like some kind of proud father…

A selfie of Takuto's. Him smiling softly as an exhausted Ren, hair pulled back by a large hair clip, slept next to him in one of Leblanc's booths, leaning his head on his shoulder. Takuto remembered that evening. He had simply ventured to Leblanc for a cup of coffee and discovered a panicked Ren struggling with his school revision. The chestnut haired man took it upon himself to help the student. What he hadn't expected was Ren's exhaustion suddenly catching up to him.

A photo Ren and Sumire asked Takuto to take. The two of them clung onto an extremely unimpressed Goro, an irritated pout on his face, thanks to Sumire forcing her glasses onto him and Ren fluffing up his hair. Takuto couldn't help but laugh as he stared at Ren and Sumire's cheeky grins.

A photo from the day of Ren's return home. All of the thieves sat in their van, smiling widely for the commemorative photo of their time together. Takuto laughed again as he remembered the madness that happened shortly after that photo was taken.

A contented sigh left Takuto's mouth after he managed to gather a decent amount of photos to add to his album. All he had to do now was print them off. Luckily, he lived near a store that specialised in cameras and photography. Although, he thought he'd prefer to share the memories with someone else. As he pulled on a jacket, Takuto grabbed his phone and dialled his best friend's number. By the time they answered, Takuto was already exiting his apartment.

"Hey, Takuto, what's up?"

"Hey, Shibu. You wanna come round mine and get some take out? You're not gonna believe what I found…"


	4. Day 4 - Rumi

A nervous lump formed in Takuto's throat as he rang the doorbell. He could feel his heart pounding wildly against his chest as he waited for Rumi to answer the door.

It had been a year since they had started dating already, so of course, Takuto had to do something to celebrate. He still couldn't believe that someone as wonderful as Rumi had stayed with him for a year. He just hoped that he would be able to convey those feelings to her tonight. His heart clenched as he heard the door unlock.

"Hey, sweetheart! You're looking as handsome as ever!" Rumi greeted him excitedly, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a peck on the cheek. Handsome! He! Her! Called! Takuto's brain short circuited at the compliment.

'Say something, moron!' He thought, psyching himself up to reply.

"Th-Thank you! You look as gorgeous as ever!" He returned the compliment. This made him realise that he hadn't gotten a good look at her yet. She had minimal make-up on; just a pale pink lipstick and pastel orange eyeshadow. She was wearing her favourite summer dress, white, knee length and a floral print with autumnal colours with her favourite black high heels. She really was gorgeous… She looked like a princess… No, scratch that. She didn't look like a princess; she looked like a goddess!

"Hello? Earth to Takuto?" Rumi called out to him softly as she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Huh? O-Oh sorry! You're just so breathtaking…" Takuto awkwardly apologised. Rumi's cheeks flushed a deep pink at the compliment. "S-So, what were you saying?"

Rumi cleared her throat to compose herself before answering. "I-I was just asking what you had planned for tonight."

Takuto held out his hand towards her. Rumi took it with no hesitation. The two walked over to Takuto's car, where he opened the passenger door and helped Rumi in.

"Well, my lady, I'm afraid it won't be anything too fancy…" He dejectedly informed her. "I'm so sorry, babe… Things have been a little rough lately and I don't have a lot of money, so-"

The chestnut haired man's apology was cut off by Rumi kissing him.

"I really don't care how much money you spent on tonight. Just as long as we're together." She assured him, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. Takuto smiled softly back at her with pink cheeks.

"Yeah… Well, I was able to save up and buy a few treats for you… Like this." Takuto informed her as he pulled out a large bouquet of roses and lilies from the backseat and handed it to her.

"Oh… Takuto, they're beautiful…" Rumi gasped as she gently held the flowers close to her chest.

"I'm glad you like them… Well, shall we get going?" Takuto asked, giving Rumi's hand one final squeeze before lifting his hands onto the steering wheel.

"But, of course~ I can't wait to see what you have in store~"

"And we're here." Takuto announced as he turned off the engine.

"The park?" Rumi observed curiously, anxious to find out what exactly Takuto had up his sleeve.

"Yes, indeed. And no, I am not telling you what I have planned." Takuto replied, shooting a knowing glance at his girlfriend.

"Pfft… I wasn't gonna ask…" Rumi scoffed dismissively, clearly lying. Takuto just laughed lovingly as he helped her out of the car. He headed over to the trunk and opened it up, pulling out a large basket and duffel bag.

"And what exactly are these for?" Rumi asked, shutting the trunk for Takuto as his hands were full.

"You'll have to wait and see~" Takuto cooed with a playful smile. Rumi pouted childishly as she clung to Takuto's arm.

"Okay then… Lead the way. I can't wait to see what you've been planning." She sighed as the couple began their walk into the park.

"I just hope you'll like it…" Takuto mumbled nervously under his breath. Rumi nudged him in the side.

"Stop being so negative! It doesn't matter what happens, just the fact that you put this much thought into our anniversary is enough for me." Rumi reprimanded him.

"R-Right. Sorry."

"Good. Now, do you want me to carry one of those? They look pretty heavy…"

"No! I'm the one surprising you! You don't have to do anything. Just sit back and enjoy the evening, alright?" Takuto refused, keeping up his gentlemanly act. He'd always been taught to treat his significant other with absolute respect and he was going to honour that lesson.

"Okay, okay… I get it… I'll just follow you and wait for the grand reveal…" Sighed Rumi, rolling her eyes slightly. She couldn't help but find this stubborn side of Takuto adorable. 

"Don't worry, it won't take long to get there." Takuto reassured her as they wandered along the grassy pathway, glancing at the beautiful flowers as they went on their way.

"Ow…" Rumi quietly muttered under her breath, not wanting to trouble Takuto. However he still heard her.

"Is something wrong?" He asked softly, stopping in his tracks to look at her.

"Oh, it's nothing… Just walking through these fields in my heels is hurting my ankles, that's all. Just gimme a minute, I'll be fine." Rumi dismissively explained. Takuto smiled as he placed the basket and duffle bag onto the ground.

"I had a feeling this would happen, so I brought a pair of your ballet pumps." He declared as he pulled out a pair of shoes from the duffle bag. "You left them at my place a couple of weeks ago and I kept forgetting to give them back…"

"Ohhh, you're a lifesaver, Takuto~" Rumi sighed in relief as she took off her heels and slipped her feet into the flats.

"That better?"

"So much better…"

"Good to hear. But, we really haven't got far to go now, just up to the top of that hill with the tree on it." Takuto informed her as he picked the basket and bag back up before continuing on his way.

"Sounds good. Although, how long are we going to be? The sun's already starting to set…" Rumi mumbled as she clutched onto Takuto's arm.

"I know. Don't worry, I planned for this time. After all, what's a better sight than a sunset?" Takuto assured her, flashing her a confident smile. Rumi smiled back.

"Ooh, well, aren't you a regular Casanova?"

Takuto chuckled bashfully as they began walking up the hill. Just a few more steps and he could finally unveil his surprise. 

"Oh, wow! You can see the lake from here!" Rumi gasped as she gazed over the horizon.

"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" Takuto replied.

"Yep… You really know your stuff…" Rumi giggled, growing more and more excitedly for whatever Takuto had planned.

"Well, It's not much but I hope you'll enjoy…" The bespectacled man mumbled as they reached their destination. Fairy lights had been strung through the branches of the tree and twinkled softly. Takuto gently nudged Rumi's hands off his arm so he could start setting everything up. He opened up the duffle bag and pulled out a large blanket. Rumi grinned excitedly.

"... Are we having a picnic?"

Takuto glanced up at her with a nervous expression. "S-Sorry if it's not very impressive…" He mumbled as he set the blanket on the floor and straightened it out.

"Don't be so silly! I love how much effort you've put into this!" Rumi exclaimed as Takuto began unpacking all the food he had prepared. "Besides, I get it. You've been busy with your research, you have to spend your money on that."

"Still… I didn't want to let you down…" Takuto muttered, patting the blanket for Rumi to sit down.

"Takuto… I know what you mean, but still, your research is important to you… Don't feel guilty for prioritizing it over me sometimes, okay?" The redhead stated sternly as she leant her head onto Takuto's shoulder, staring up at him cutely.

"Yeah… Yeah, you're right… Thanks, Rumi… I don't know what I would do without you." Takuto whispered back, leaning his head onto Rumi's head. Their moment of bliss was interrupted by Rumi's stomach growling.

"Should we start eating already?" Takuto asked as he tried and failed to hold back his laughter.

"Yes, please~" Rumi cheered, taking the plate that Takuto handed to her and helped herself to everything displayed on the blanket.

"So, where did you get all this food? It looks and smells amazing." She asked as Takuto pulled out two glasses and a bottle of wine from his bag.

"Actually, I made all of it myself… Well, everything but the wine… I didn't exactly have years to spare for that…" He replied, pouring the wine into the glasses and handing one to Rumi.

"Really?! But, you… y'know… Suck at cooking." Rumi gasped in surprise.

"Trust me, I'm painfully aware of that… I've been practicing for the past month, took me ages to finally get everything right…" Takuto sighed, remembering all of the cuts and burns he got on his hands during those trial runs.

"Yeah, that sounds like you!" Rumi giggled in amusement as she glanced around at all of the dishes Takuto had prepared. "So, which one gave you the most trouble?"

"Probably the apple pie… I just couldn't get the pastry right…" Takuto muttered as he picked up a sandwich.

"Then let's see if all your hard work paid off~" The redhead smirked as she cut herself a slice. Takuto gulped nervously as she took out her fork and ate a mouthful. He watched intently as she chewed. Her eyes widened. His heart pounded anxiously.

"Oh wow, this is delicious!" Rumi exclaimed.

"Really?!" Gasped Takuto, a wave of relief sweeping over him.

"Yes!" Rumi scooped up another forkful and offered it to Takuto. "Here, try it!"

Takuto tried to take the fork, but Rumi kept a tight grip on it. "No, I wanna feed it to you~"

His face turned bright red at that statement.

"U-Uh, I can feed myself, you know-!" He stuttered, his voice cracking as he spoke. Rumi just smirked back at him, holding the fork in front of his mouth.

"C'mon… Say 'Ahh'~" She cooed, clearly enjoying Takuto's bashful reaction. The chestnut haired man shyly averted his gaze as his blush grew deeper.

"A-Ahhh…" He gave in, opening his mouth and letting Rumi gently place the food inside. The redhead giggled triumphantly as she took the fork back. His eyes widened as he began chewing.

"Oh! That actually tastes pretty good!" He murmured in surprise. He couldn't believe that this was something he had baked.

"Told you! You might actually be an amazing chef!"

"Yeah, if there was a restaurant where you waited a month for your meal…"

"That was delicious… Thank you, Takuto…" Murmured Rumi as the two of them packed all of the empty plates and leftover food back into the basket.

"I'm glad you liked it." Takuto chuckled in response. A chilly late evening breeze blew through the air, making Rumi shiver. Takuto took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Is that better?" He softly asked.

"Yeah, thank you… Although, it's already gotten dark, should we start heading home?" Rumi asked as she pulled the jacket closer, enjoying the comforting scent.

"Oh, I don't know… I think we could stay a little longer…" Takuto hummed with a small grin, pointing upward. Rumi lifted her head to see what he meant. An involuntary gasp left her mouth. The midnight blue sky was lit up with millions of stars. The bright lights sparkled beautifully in the clear sky, not a single cloud in sight. It looked as if it were an astral ocean. She almost wanted to reach out and run her hand through the sea of stars.

"Wow…" was all she could say as she stared up with a dumbstruck expression.

"I had a feeling you'd like it." Whispered Takuto as he lied down, gently tugging Rumi's wrist and lying her down next to him.

"I love it, Takuto… It's amazing…" She gasped quietly as she reached for Takuto's hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

"I come here whenever I need to clear my head." Takuto informed her, stroking her hand with his thumb.

"I can see why…"

"You can see constellations from here sometimes."

"Wow…"

"I'm so glad you enjoyed tonight…"

"It was incredible, Takuto… Thank you so much."

A silence fell over the two as they scanned their eyes through the skies, searching for any constellations or shooting stars.

"They're beautiful…" Rumi murmured as she stared up the stars. But, Takuto was too preoccupied staring at his stars. He gazed at Rumi with a lovestruck expression, taking in every last detail. The deep red shade of her hair, the way her skin glowed in the moonlight, the stars reflecting in her gorgeous burgundy eyes, the childlike wonder in her expression… He really was falling in love with her all over again.

"Yeah… Sure are…"


	5. Day 5 - Holidays

Takuto hummed excitedly as he flicked through the tour guide magazine. This trip was unexpected, but definitely not unappreciated.

"Again, thank you so much for agreeing to help out, Maruki-sensei. And sorry it was such short notice…" Kawakami muttered tiredly from her seat next to him. Takuto had been asked to act as a chaperone for the second year's school trip to Hawaii.

"No, no! It's perfectly fine! I understand everything's been quite hectic, thanks to that tabloid about the Kamoshida incident. Besides, who am I to refuse a trip to Hawaii?" He replied with a sweet smile.

"That is very fair! Although, I can't help but feel a little tense… Everything's been so busy and muddled up that we haven't been able to plan an itinerary for the trip…" Kawakami sighed, leaning back into her seat dejectedly.

"Oh, I don't know… I'm sure the students will be fine. I've seen plenty of them doing their own research on the landmarks in Waikiki. Besides, you could use this trip as an opportunity to relax and de-stress. It's good to take a break every once in a while." Takuto suggested, flicking through the pages to find recommended places to eat.

"Hmm… Yeah… That would be nice… I've had to spend so much time fending off the press, I deserve to relax on the beach for a few days!" Kawakami declared with an excited twinkle in her eyes as she began daydreaming of sunbathing with a beer in hand.

"That's the spirit!" Giggled Takuto.

"We have begun our descent. Please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts." The announcement sounded out as the air hostesses finished up their duties.

"WHOOOAAA!" A sudden loud voice made the two adults jump as they flung their heads in the direction of the voice. They were greeted by the sight of Ryuji staring out the window in amazement, leaning over Ren who had the expression of a startled cat while Mishima tried to yank Ryuji back into his seat. Takuto couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, someone seems excited!" He remarked to Kawakami. The brunette teacher chortled back as she clicked her seatbelt and prepared for the landing.

"Okay, that's half of the students… Maruki-sensei, could you see if the remaining students need any help, please? Some of them might be having difficulty with the language barrier…" Requested Kawakami as she took roll call for each student that exited the arrival's gate.

"Sure thing." The chestnut haired man instantly agreed, walking back to the customs desks. He walked past a very tired looking Ryuji.

"Damn, I totally panicked… The hell was he sayin'?" The blond muttered to himself. Shortly after, a very cheerful Ann walked past. Of course she wouldn't have any problems with the questions. When Takuto arrived, a very nervous Ren was being questioned. His clung onto his bag as a confused frown appeared on his face.

 _"So, what are you planning to do while you're in the country?"_ The agent asked as he inspected Ren's passport.

 _"U-Um… I… am s-student?"_ The raven haired teen awkward replied, cursing his lack of understanding of the English language.

_"So, you're planning to study?"_

_"I-I… Visit?"_

_"You're visiting someone?"_

_"Um, excuse me!"_ Takuto interjected. _"He's with us. We're visiting for a school trip. Sorry if you've been having difficulty, some of the students aren't too acquainted with the language yet._ " He explained. The agent nodded in understanding.

_"I see! So, all the teenagers wearing the plaid trousers and skirts are your students?"_

_"That's correct. Sorry for any inconvenience we may be causing."_

_"No, thank you for the explanation, my job can go a lot quicker now."_ The man smiled at the chaperone before handing the passport back to Ren. _"Enjoy your stay."_

 _"Th-Thank you. Have a nice day."_ Ren stuttered in response, hoping that he used the right phrase. An exhausted sigh left the bespectacled boy's mouth.

"I completely blanked…" He uttered under his breath.

"You alright, Amamiya-kun?" Takuto asked with a soft chuckle.

"I really suck at English… I only understood a few words…"

"Well, it's okay. Kawakami and the rest of the chaperones are waiting at the luggage carousel."

"Alright, thank you, Sensei." Ren thanked Takuto for his help before walking off to meet up with the rest of the group.

"Wow, this hotel is nice…" Takuto murmured as he scanned his eyes around the lounge area.

"I know! I'm quite excited about this trip now! Has everyone been paired up yet? We just need to assign rooms and then we can relax." Kawakami replied as she glanced down at her register.

"Right, I'll tell the students by the entrance, I don't think anyone's told them yet." Takuto offered.

"Thanks, Sensei. I'll go collect the keys."

Takuto wandered over to the ever so familiar group of Phantom Thieves students, overhearing their conversation as he got closer.

"By the way… What is this smell?" Asked Ryuji.

"It's the flowers for the leis and carpet cleaner. It's coconut scented!" Mishima informed him.

"What are you, the king of random facts?!"

"I just like to research places before I visit them."

"Have you ever thought of joining a trivia contest? You'd crush it." Ren commented with an amused smile.

"Hey, yeah! That would be great for you! You'd win so many prizes!" Ann giggled, smacking Mishima's arm lightly.

"I'd never thought of that… Sounds interesting!"

"Hey, guys! Just letting you know that you need to pair up for your rooms. We're handing out keys now, so if you could organise yourselves, that would be great." Takuto announced as he reached the group, Makoto joining him shortly after having finally finished dealing with the taxi drivers.

"Ooh, ooh! Hey, Ren, room with me!" Ryuji excitedly requested, slinging his arm around Ren's shoulders.

"Oh, sorry… I should have specified… You need to room with someone from your class…" Takuto apologised as he quickly added that last piece of information.

"Whaaaaaat? Oh, c'mon! Why can't I room with Ren?" Ryuji whined.

"It complicates roll call." Makoto sighed.

"Oh, hey! If it's in classes, then do you wanna room with me, Amamiya?" Asked Mishima with a shy smile.

"Sure thing. You're the only dude in our class that actually talks to me." Ren happily agreed. Takuto couldn't help but frown after hearing that statement.

"That ain't fair…" Ryuji moaned childishly.

"Awww, don't worry, Ryuji… We'll think of you when we share our midnight snacks." Said Ren, smirking as he slid his arm around Mishima's shoulders. Ryuji pouted.

"Yeah, and you'll be with us in spirit when we spent the entire night chatting." Mishima added with a grin.

"Oh, bite me…" The blond muttered as he skulked off to find his own roommate.

"What about you, Ann? Have you got a roommate?" Makoto enquired, clearly wanting to relax already.

"Hm? Oh yeah, one of my classmates asked me to room with her earlier." Ann replied.

"Alright, go collect your keys over by Kawakami-sensei. Once you've got your keys, you're free to do what you want." Takuto informed them. Ren and Mishima glanced at each other.

"Let's get that key."

"Hell yeah."

Ann rolled her eyes as the two boys sped over to the front desk.

"I'm gonna go see if my roommate has the key already."

"Oh, that seems to be everyone now, Sensei…" Makoto spoke up, pointing to the unimpressed Ryuji who had reluctantly found his roommate.

"Great! Alright then, go get your key, Niijima-san. You deserve a break after all your hard work." Takuto encouraged her, gesturing over to Kawakami.

"Thank you, Sensei." She bluntly replied. Takuto grinned as he watched her walk away. Finally, all of the hard organisation was out of the way… Now, he could relax… Where should he visit first? In the end, Takuto decided that he would go with the obvious choice and visit the beach. An excited smile appeared on his face as he went to collect his own room key.

"Mmm~" Takuto hummed happily as he took a large sip of his drink. He had checked out a few stores on the nearby streets before making his way over to the beach. One of these shops sold Hawaiian shirts and Takuto simply couldn't resist. He purchased a deep green shirt with a pink floral design on it and immediately put it on, buttons undone with his navy blue swim trunks and black sandals. Although, the main store that caught his attention was a fruit juice bar that sold freshly squeezed juice. He bought himself some mango juice. It was ice cold and incredibly refreshing, just the tropical taste was enough to put him in a good mood. But the delicious juice and a walk along the gorgeous beach? It was like a dream. The sun was beaming down brightly, the light shimmered on the crystal clear waves, the soft white sand slid under his footsteps, the trees blew in the soothing cool breeze… It was perfection.

"Hm?" Takuto hummed as he took another sip, noticing a familiar head of fluffy hair sat on a bench.

"Hey, Amamiya-kun, why are you here by yourself?" He asked, sitting down next to him to keep the boy company.

"Makoto and Ann went to buy sunscreen, Mishima wanted to buy some watermelon for us to share, and Ryuji needed to pee." Ren informed him matter-of-factly as he watched the sea with squinted eyes.

"Don't you have any prescription sunglasses?" Takuto murmured, noticing Ren's eyes watering from the brightness of the sun.

"Nope. Been meaning to buy some for the past year but I keep forgetting…" Ren replied, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh yeah, I've been there…" Takuto muttered in agreement, taking another sip of his drink.

"What is that?" Ren asked, pointing to Takuto's cup.

"Hm? Oh, I found a juice bar back there. It's mango juice! Really nice!" Takuto told him, grinning cheerfully as he displayed the juice. Ren scoffed with laughter at the sight.

"You sure do love your juice, huh?" He snickered.

"Mmhm~! Gotta stay hydrated!"

Ren rolled his eyes before glancing down at the bright colours that caught his attention.

"So, uh, what's with the shirt?"

"Found it at a shop back there as well. Looks pretty good, right?" Takuto cheered, proudly showing off his purchase. Ren smiled back at him awkwardly.

"It's… very you." Was his response.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Takuto asked, raising an eyebrow as he smirked at the raven haired boy who averted his gaze innocently. "C'mon… What did you mean?"

"It just screams Big Dad Energy to me." Ren replied, expressing his true opinion on the shirt.

"Well, I consider that a huge compliment, so thank you, Amamiya-kun!" Takuto laughed with his usual sweet smile.

"... Sure thing."

"Hey, Amamiya! I got the watermelon! Sorry I took so long, they sliced it up for me." Mishima called out as he jogged over, carrying a small platter of watermelon slices.

"Ooh, those look good!" Ren remarked as his mouth began watering.

"They're fresh as they can be! Would you like one, Maruki-sensei? After all, when you think of the beach, you think of watermelon, right?" Mishima offered, holding the platter out towards the chestnut haired man.

"Oh! Thank you very much, Mishima-kun!" Takuto thanked the blue haired boy as he very happily took a slice and munched on it.

"Wow, that's really good! You should try them yourself!" He exclaimed, eyes widening as the taste flooded his mouth.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Ren giggled as he grabbed himself a slice.

"H-Hey!"

"Sit down, Mishima! You can eat them if you put the platter down!"

"... Oh, yeah."

Takuto laughed at the boys' banter.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it. Just remember to get back to the hotel by eight, okay? See you later!" He reminded them as he walked away, waving casually.

"Sure thing!"

"Will do!"

Takuto chuckled softly to himself as he heard the boys call back to him. A contented sigh left his mouth as the sea breeze blew through his fluffy hair. This place was stunning. Most people would consider having to watch the students a pain in the ass, but Takuto loved it. All of them were sweet in their own way, and seeing them all enjoying themselves made it completely worth it. The wind ruffled his shirt, making it billow behind him like a hero's cape. The cold condensation from his juice dripped down the cup and onto his hand. The soothing sound of the waves crashing against the shore reached his ears, along with the cheers and laughter of the friends, families and couples enjoying the beach. The underlying scent of coconut emanated from every tree in the area. It was the most serene scene Takuto had ever experienced. As he looked out at the azure horizon, a soft smile appeared on his face as he realised just how lucky he was.


	6. Day 6 - Animals

A pleasant breeze blew through the streets as Takuto leisurely wandered home. He hummed quietly to himself as the cool wind blew through his hair. The counselor had been out shopping for some simple groceries, but he'd be lying if he said that he didn't take a more roundabout route to enjoy the weather.

'Well, I've got all these ingredients… What should I make for dinner?' He pondered as he walked along the street. The past couple of weeks, he'd been looking up recipes online and trying a new one each day. Some results were fantastic, others… not so much…

"Hm?" He hummed as he could have sworn he saw a flash of black in the nearby bushes. Curiosity got the better of him and he crouched down to get a better look.

It was a cat.

A black cat with white markings on its face, paws and tail. It's eyes were a bright, beautiful shade of blue. It wore a yellow collar. Takuto swore that he recognised this cat…

"Oh! You're Amamiya's cat! What're you doing all the way out here?" He gently exclaimed, catching the cat's attention. The animal cautiously backed away before suddenly losing its balance and slipping onto his side. This was when Takuto noticed a large cut on the cat's side.

"Ooh! What happened there? Poor little thing, did you catch yourself on something while you were exploring?" Takuto gasped at the sight. He made up his mind. He had to help this cat.

"C'mere! C'mere, little guy! Lemme help you!" Takuto cooed, coaxing the injured animal out of the bush. The cat looked at him with an unimpressed expression. Takuto considered some other options. Maybe he could tempt him out with food? Did he have anything a cat would like? Oh, sushi could work! He carefully pulled the pack of sushi out of the carrier bag. The cat's ears perked up as he saw the sushi. His whiskers twitched as Takuto opened up the packaging.

"C'mon… Come over here…" Takuto muttered as he held out a small piece of fish, hoping to entice the cat into walking over to him. The black cat took a cautious step forward. Then another. And then another. Takuto watched intently as the cat edged closer and closer to him. After luring the cat into his arm's length, the chestnut haired man quickly and carefully grabbed the cat, picking him up and balancing his groceries on his arm. The cat yowled in protest as he struggled against Takuto's grip.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down! It's okay! It's okay! Calm down, I wanna help you… Careful… You'll hurt yourself even more if you thrash around like that…" Takuto quietly stated in an attempt to soothe the cat's nerves. The cat's fidgeting calmed down until it finally let out a defeated huff and let Takuto carry him.

"Good boy… Here you go…" Takuto chuckled as he held the piece of sushi in front of the cat. It didn't seem fair to lure it out with food and then not give them the food… The cat turned his head as his nose twitched excitedly until he finally couldn't resist anymore, grabbing the sushi and shoving it into his mouth. This movement gave Takuto a good view of his collar.

"So, you're called 'Morgana', huh? Well, alright then, Morgana, let's get you patched up." The man said, delighted by the fact that he was finally holding a cat that wasn't trying to scratch his face off. After making sure that Morgana was comfortable, Takuto continued on his way to his apartment.

"Okay… Let me just put these away and then we'll get you all sorted out." Takuto told Morgana as he placed the cat down onto his sofa before taking his groceries into the kitchen. The black cat meowed indignantly as Takuto began unpacking all of the food in his bag. The chestnut haired man let out an amused chuckle as he chucked another piece of fish over to the cat.

"You really like sushi, huh?" He asked with a soft smile while he placed his groceries into his fridge and cupboards. After everything had been put away, Takuto made his way into the bathroom and looked through his medicine cabinet. A trouble frown appeared on his face. As a thought crossed his mind, he pulled out his phone and began typing into an internet search.

'Cat friendly medicines'

There had to be something he could use… As he recognised some names from the list, he grabbed them from the cupboard along with some bandages and some paper towels to dab the disinfectant onto.

"Okay, that's everything, let's sort that cut out." He announced as he re-entered the living room. Takuto wasn't quite sure why he was chatting to the cat so much, but it really did feel like Morgana understood what he was saying. He placed all of the supplies on the coffee table before laying Morgana on his side to get a better look at his injury.

"... Ah." He said as he realised he couldn't really inspect the injury through the cat's thick coat of fur. Takuto sighed as he flashed Morgana an apologetic smile, standing back up and walking back into the bathroom. He grabbed his electric razor and returned to the cat.

"Sorry, buddy… You're gonna have to have a little bald spot for a while…" He apologised. Morgana groaned quietly, flopping onto his side to let Takuto do what he needed to do.

"Sorry…" He muttered again as he began carefully shaving the cat's fur, making sure he didn't get too close to the skin. After cutting the fur short enough to properly see the wound, Takuto turned off the razor and cleaned up the fur before finally inspecting the cut.

"Oh, that's good. It's not that deep, just need to clean it up and then put a bandage on it." Takuto remarked as he poured some disinfectant onto a paper towel. He gave Morgana an encouraging pat on the head before dabbing it onto the wound. The cat yowled and hissed at the stinging sensation.

"I know, buddy, I know… Just deal with it for a little while longer, okay?" Takuto mumbled quietly, amazed by how smart the cat was. He really was very understanding about the situation… Maybe he really could understand what Takuto was saying?

"Alright, that should be enough… Well done! Now, just put a little of this cream on there so it doesn't swell up…" Takuto cheered, dipping his fingers into a small tub of an anti-inflammatory cream and rubbing it onto the cut.

"Aaaaaaaand finally, a bandage so you don't manage to hurt yourself again." Takuto muttered quietly, mostly to himself as he plastered some gauze onto the cat's side. He flashed a contented smile to the cat as he helped him back onto his feet and gave him a proud scratch under his chin.

"You're a brave lil guy, aren't you? Didn't try to run away at all! Okay, let me just tidy all of this up and then I'll take you home! Sound good?" Takuto remarked as he enjoyed the very rare occurrence of a cat actually letting him stroke them. Morgana replied with a cheerful meow as Takuto stood up.

"Although… I think you deserve a little treat for being so brave…" The bespectacled man muttered, walking over to his fridge and throwing another piece of fish to Morgana, who very enthusiastically ate it up.

The bell quietly jingled as Takuto stepped through the door into Leblanc. He was greeted by the sight of Ren pacing up and down anxiously while Sojiro tried to calm him down and Futaba searched for something on her laptop.

"Um… Excuse me? I've brought someone who got a little lost…" Takuto announced to let them know he was there, unzipping his jacket slightly to reveal the black cat nuzzled against his chest. Ren turned around and gasped as his eyes widened.

"Mona! You're okay!" He squealed in relief, flinging himself over to the counselor. Takuto carefully freed Morgana from within his jacket and handed him over to the emotional teenager.

"Oh, thank god… We were really starting to get a bit worried. Thanks for bringing him back." Sojiro thanked him as he watched Ren and Futaba hug the cat tearfully.

"Where was he?" Asked Futaba, stroking Morgana's head.

"I'm not sure about the exact street; I found him while walking home from grocery shopping in Shibuya." Takuto answered.

"Shibuya?! How the hell did he get all the way to Shibuya?" Sojiro asked in disbelief, his eyebrows furrowing together in bewilderment.

"What happened to his side? Why's there a bandage?" Ren anxiously enquired.

"I found him with a cut on his side so I took him home and patched him up. Don't worry, it wasn't anything too serious. I just needed to disinfect it and cover it up. Although, fair warning, I did have to give him a slight shave. I think he might've caught himself on a fence while snooping around." Takuto explained, glad that Ren didn't have to worry about his little friend any more.

"Awwwwww~ Have you got a little bald spot~?" Futaba teased the cat with a mischievous grin. Morgana simply whacked her with his paw as he looked at her with an irritated scowl.

"Thanks so much for taking care of him, Sensei. I got really worried when I hadn't seen him for a few hours…" Ren thanked Takuto, bowing politely to display his gratitude.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. Although, I am probably gonna have to buy another pack of sushi…" Takuto chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah… Mona loves his sushi…" Ren sighed.

"Trust me, I noticed."

"Well, since our cat stole your dinner, how does a plate of curry sound? On the house. Our way of saying thanks." Sojiro laughed softly. Takuto's stomach growled at those words.

"Sounds good! Thank you." He decided to accept the offer.

"Oh, I'll help!" Ren hurriedly declared, passing Morgana to Futaba. Takuto chuckled quietly to himself. He was planning on a quiet night by himself, but… A delicious meal with a happy family to share conversations with... This really wasn't so bad, either.


	7. Day 7 - Taxi

A tired yawn left Takuto's mouth as he checked the time. 13:30PM… His lunch break was over. Gathering all of his rubbish and taking the final swig of his apple juice, he stood up and walked over to the nearest bin.

"Just four more hours… Then I can go home…" He muttered to himself as he dumps the packaging into the trash can. The chestnut haired man did enjoy his job, but sitting in a car all day did make him feel quite stiff. It was nice to go home at the end of the day, have a stretch and then lounge on the couch after eating dinner. Not to mention, this job required a lot less thinking than counseling so Takuto could sense the decrease in stress.

"And back to work…" He mumbled as he sat back in the car, clicking on the sign to let people know he was on duty before putting his seatbelt on. After making sure the road was clear, he pulled out of his parking space and began his lap around his assigned area to search for any customers. As he drove, a droplet splashed onto his windscreen.

"Hm?" He hummed curiously. Was it starting to rain? As if to answer his question, a barrage of raindrops battered his windscreen as the weather turned into a torrential downpour.

"Oh crap! We didn't have any rain forecast for today?" He uttered to himself as he turned on his windscreen wipers. Sure, the clouds were pretty grey while he ate his lunch, but still… He continued driving around the streets of Shibuya until he saw someone frantically waving, beckoning him to pull over. He turned on the indicators to let them know he was stopping for them. He carefully pulled over and unlocked the passenger seat door for them. The person yanked the door open and flung themself into the vehicle.

"This rain came outta nowhere, huh?" He remarked to start conversation as the customer arranged their bag.

"Tell me about it… I was lucky to have this hoodie in my bag… I have a job interview and I really don't want my suit getting ruined…" The customer replied, a woman's voice leaving their mouth.

"Ahh, job interview, huh? Well, I'll make sure you get there on time. Where you headed?" Takuto chuckled lightly, keeping a positive tone to help the customer feel confident.

"The planetarium in Ikebukuro, please. The interview is for a role as a curator for one of the exhibits." The customer stated.

"Ooh, sounds interesting! I love going to the planetarium. It's fascinating to learn about each planet and star in the solar system. Plus, it's just beautiful to look at." Takuto replied as he inputted the details into the satnav.

"I know, stars are so romantic… I went on a date to the planetarium once." The customer giggled happily as she pulled her hood down. Takuto's eyes widened as he saw her in the rear view mirror.

Flawless ivory skin.

Short, scarlet hair.

Deep burgundy eyes.

Rumi…

He never thought he'd meet her again like this…

Hell, he never thought he'd meet her again. Period.

Rumi glanced up at the mirror, her eyes widening slightly. Takuto flinched as they locked eyes through the mirror.

"... Can I help you?" She asked awkwardly, checking the time of her phone.

"O-Oh! Sorry about that, I was just checking that you were comfortable." The cab driver bashfully stuttered.

"Oh. Well, yes, I am comfortable, thank-"

"And to see if you had your seatbelt on."

Rumi glanced down.

"Oh crap! Sorry! Thanks for reminding me!" She gasped as she realised she wasn't wearing her seatbelt. Takuto chuckled quietly to himself. That had always been a bad habit of Rumi's. He could always remember the look of panic on her face when she'd suddenly realise in the middle of a car journey and hurriedly yank her seatbelt across her chest.

Takuto's mind was racing as he checked the traffic before pulling out into the road. He hadn't seen Rumi in years and now all of a sudden, here they were: Sat in a car together. Just the two of them. Not to mention, Takuto had a wealth of memories that she didn't. He had to hide his nervousness. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. Not to mention, if he acted weird, he'd probably get a complaint filed against him… And his boss would not appreciate that… He took a deep breath to compose himself.

'I just have to do my job… That's all.'

"So, how long have you been a cab driver?" Asked Rumi, starting a conversation to fill in the silence.

"Not long. About four months now." Takuto replied as he waited for the light to turn green.

"Oh yeah? What did you do before you got this job?" Rumi continued her questions as she pulled out a notepad.

"You writing some potential answers for your interview?" Takuto asked as she started scribbling away.

"Yep. Better to be prepared for anything… and hey! You didn't answer my question!" Rumi snickered with a pout.

"Oh, right! Sorry… Uh, I was a counselor." The chestnut haired man awkwardly chuckled before answering.

"Counselor? Like giving therapy sessions?"

"Yeah, basically."

"Huh. What kind of things did you help people with?"

"Well, anything and everything really… I just kinda chatted with people and gave them advice… I always thought it best to let them go at their own pace. But, if you mean anything in particular… I did work at Shujin last year after the whole Kamoshida mess." Takuto explained, tilting the wheel as he turned a corner.

"Smart. Whenever someone tries to force me to open up, it just makes me close off even more. And that's great! I was really worried about those kids after hearing about that on the news…"

"Yeah, well, I was only hired as a form of damage control… But that didn't stop me from doing what I could to help them." Takuto replied with a click of his tongue as he remembered a majority of the faculty's lack of concern about the student body's mental health.

"Ugh, yeah, I remember hearing that the principal there was a real piece of work… Makes you sick, doesn't it?" The redhead huffed in disgust as she recalled all the tabloid stories she had read about that man.

"Yeah… Although, there were some great teachers that did everything they could to help their students." Takuto added, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Well, that's a relief… Although… What made you switch careers? I mean, I don't really see any connections between a counselor and a taxi driver…?" The scarlet haired lady asked with a curious tilt of her head.

"Heh… Well, a friend of mine helped me realise that I had my own problems I needed to work through… and that my job of listening to other people's problems was just making it worse… In fact, he told me that I was too nice to be a counselor… So, I quit. I chose this job because it's easy. All I really have to do is drive around the city. It doesn't really require any emotional presence…" Takuto explained with a thoughtful expression, smiling slightly as he remembered that final conversation with that friend before they had to return to their hometown.

"Ahhh… So, you needed to prioritize yourself for once, huh? That's fair enough. It's always nice to know that you had someone looking out for you, though." Rumi softly laughed with a sweet smile. Takuto couldn't help but smile back. God, he missed that smile…

"Yeah. Although, I do still help people sometimes. Some people are surprisingly open with their cab drivers… A couple of weeks ago, I basically acted as a couple's counselor for a drunk couple that were at each other's throats… They got out clinging to each other and giggling like lovestruck highschoolers." The bespectacled man chuckled quietly as he remembered that pair.

"Did you do that because you wanted them to be happy? Or did you do that because you didn't wanna be stuck in between their fight?" Rumi queried, raising an eyebrow as she shot Takuto a knowing smirk.

"... I'll be honest, it was a bit of both."

Rumi burst out laughing at Takuto's blunt honesty. It was a bright, beautiful laugh. Her shoulders shook with each little hitch in her breath. A dimple appeared on her right cheek. Takuto could feel his cheeks flushing a bright pink at the gorgeous sight. His heart skipped a beat. He really was never going to be able to love someone else, huh?

"Yeah, I had a feeling that was the case! Although, I can definitely see where you're coming from… I did the same when I worked in a convenience store…" She eventually gasped out after calming down.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, a couple had a huge fight over what they wanted for dinner… She wanted beef, he wanted pork… When I finally got them to calm down, they left with a leg of lamb." She recalled with an exasperated smile.

"... That's a compromise, I suppose…"

"Yeah…"

"Oh, look at that. It's stopped raining. I wonder where that downpour came from?" Takuto remarked as he noticed the sky clearing up.

"I've no idea… It's not like it was on any weather forecasts…"

"Well, we're almost there, so hopefully it will still be dry when you leave."

"Yep. Hopefully."

"Aaaaaand we're here." Takuto announced as he pulled up in front of the planetarium.

"Thanks so much. I got here so much quicker than I would have if I took the subway." Rumi thanked him, pulling her purse out of her handbag.

"It's no problem at all. Okay, that will be… 2055¥ please." Takuto politely responded, informing Rumi of the price. The scarlet haired woman fished the required money out of her purse and handed it over to the driver.

"Here you go. Keep the change." She requested as she opened the door and got out.

"Thank you very much. Hey, good luck with your job interview! You'll do great!" Takuto encouraged her.

"That really means a lot! Thank you, Takuto! Bye!" Rumi giggled, quickly slamming the door and jogging up the stairs into the planetarium. Takuto's eyes shot wide open. H-How did she know his name? He never told her… The driver glanced down at the money as he slipped it into the containers. This was when he noticed a folded up sheet of paper from a notepad. He curiously opened it up and discovered a note and a phone number written on it.

_Takuto,_

_I remember everything. I'm not entirely sure how I managed to forget so much, but I bet you know, thanks to your cognitive psience research. Here's my number. Let's meet up and talk about it. Maybe get a drink together too?_

_Rumi_

_P.S I still have that engagement ring_

_P.P.S That beard looks good on you ;)_

A breathy chuckle left Takuto as he finished reading through it. He shook his head in disbelief as his heart pounded excitedly. His smile grew larger and more bashful as he reread the note.

"That woman is unbelievable…"


End file.
